Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/170

 against hope that Jake and his gang were away for some time, but when I saw by the muddy  footprints on the doorstep that some one had gone  in since I went away, I can tell you I was anxious.”

“Did you bring some one back with you?” asked Hugh.

“I never got to Two Rivers at all,” replied Dick. “The first stream I came to was so far over its banks that I walked for hours trying to find a  place to cross and couldn’t. At last I realized that, even if I got help, it would risk leaving John  alone too long, so I turned back. A lot of good I did by going!”

“The thing now,” said Hugh, “is to get your brother away as quickly as we can. The pirates will be coming back any minute.”

“I doubt if even the pair of us could ever get him to Two Rivers,” Dick returned doubtfully.

“We’ll take him across to Oscar Dansk’s house, there beyond the ravine,” Hugh said.

Dick hesitated, stammered and flushed.

“I promised—” he began.